612 The Ióno2vledgè of God. Vol., Affairs of the World. But this Atheifm reigns in wicked Men; while they live in their Sins, they live in the Denyal of God's Omnifcience ; for did Men real- ly believe that God fees in fecret, that his Eye perceives the Darknefs, and lays open and naked all things before it, how durfl they Lie, and Steal, and Swear fahély ? Vain Man ! why doff thou leek Darknefs and Retirement ? how at thou alone, if thou believeft that God is every where ? how canft thou retire from him ? how canft thou ihut him out ? If thou believeft that he is the Light, what fecurity is Darknefs to thee? If he look upon thee, who is the greatefl and belt Perfoàin the World, who is thy Sovereign, thyJudge, thy Father, and thy Mailer, and thy belt Friend (for we ufe to reverence Perfons under thefe NÓti- ons and Relations, and to be alhamed to do any thing that is Vile and Unfeem- lybefore them) if he, who is all this, lookupon thee, why art thou not afhamed t why does not thy Blood rife in thy Face ? why lhould not Shame andFear work upon the apprehenfion of God's feeing us, as if Men did behold us ? for this, that God fees thee, is a greater Surprize and Difcovery, and threatens thee with more Danger, than if the whole World flood by thee. z. Live as thofe that believe this ; be continually under the power of this Ap- prehenfion, That God takes a particular and exact notice of all thy Actions The firm Belief of this would have a double influence upon us, it would encou- rage us in well-doing, and be a reflraint upon us as to fin ; fic vivamos tanquam in confpec`lu vivamos. Sen. It were well if Men would live as if any body law them ; but to live as if fome Worthy and Excellent Perfon were always prefent with us, and did obferve us, this will be a far greater curb upon us. There are forre fins of that Uglinefs and Deformity, that a Man would not commit them in the prefence of any one, of a Child or a Fool ; and there are fome Perfonsof fuch Worth and Reverence, quorum interventuperditi queque homilies vitia fuppe?- merest. Epicurus had this good Conceit of hirnfelf, that he could advife others fo to act as if he flood by, fac amnia tanquamfpetïet Epicurus ; but Seneca inflan- ceth much better in Cato, or Scipio, or Lrelius, Ut fie tanquam illo fpeaante vivamos. and (hall not the prefence of the Divine Majefly be an eternal reflraint upon us ? This was David's courfe to keep himfelf from fin, Pfal. 39. I. Iwill take heed to my way while theWicked is beforeme ; how much more in the prefence ofGod I have kept thy Precepts and thy Teflimonies, for all my ways are before thee, Pfal. 119. 168. And it was wifely advifed by Seneca, That we fbouldfo live when we are among Men, as believing God fees us ; and when there is none but he fees us, let us behave our felves before him, as ifMen did flare upon us. I1f. God's Knowledge of the Heart teacheth us, 1. The Folly of Hypocrify; how vain it is to make a Phew of that outward- ly, which inwardly and in our Hearts we arenot ; to put on a Mask of Religi- on, and paint our felves beautifully without, when inwardly weare full of rotten- nefs anduncleannefs ; to honour God with our Lips, when our Hearts are far from him. If we were to deal with Men, this were not a very wife way, for there is danger of difcovery even from them, therefore the belt way for aMan tofeem to be any thing, is really to be what he would appear ; but having to deal with Godl, who knows our thoughts afar off, to whom all our Difguifes are tranfparent, and all our little Arts of concealment fignifie nothing, 'tis a madnefs to hide our Iniquity in our Bofom. With this Argument our Saviour convinceth the Hypo- critical Pharifees, Luke 16. 15. l'e are they that juflifieyour felves before Men but Godknowethyour Hearts. z. If God knowyour Hearts, then endeavourto approve your Hearts tohim ; charge your felves with inward Purity and Holinefs, becaufe of the pure Eyes which behold the moll intimate and fecret motions of your Souls therefore cleanfe Your Hearts from wickednefs; bow long (hall vain thoughts lodge withinyou Fear and Shame from Men lay a great reftraint upon our outward A&icns ; but how licentious are we many times in our Hearts ? what a orange freedom do we take
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